Real-time pricing through smart-price-tags

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments determine a sale price of an item via a smart price tag associated with the item. In one embodiment, the smart price tag is detected as being shaken. Responsive to detecting the smart price tag as being shaken, a request for a current sale price of the item for sale is sent to a back end price server. The current sale price of the item for sale is received from the back end price server and displayed for a predetermined period of time. The current sale price may be displayed on the smart price tag or a separate display sign. The current price is displayed until expiration of a predetermined period of time unless a lock request is detected which locks the price of the item for sale at the current sale price. If a price unlock button is pressed, the sale price of the item is unlocked.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/259,429, filed on Sep. 8, 2016, entitled “Real-Time Pricing ThroughSmart-Price Tags,” the entirety of which is fully incorporated byreference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure generally relates to obtaining real time pricing,and more particularly to obtaining real-time pricing usingsmart-price-tags.

The prices of items for sale in retail stores are typically fixed (i.e.static). In some cases, such as during a sale, a display sign or tag maystate a current discount for a product, which may be applied to theproduct upon checkout. However, the discounted price may not updated oris incorrect at the cash register, which can result in a disgruntledcustomer(s) while time is spent price checking or if the customeroverpays, due to not immediately noticing the error.

There are known ways of delivering en-mass and personalized couponsoffering discounts to customers. However, these methods are generallypush-based; that is, if the store does not push the offer, the customerwill not receive the coupon or pricing. Further, if a customerspecifically wants to know about a product, they have no way ofobtaining a coupon without using additional devices (such as a mobilephone/browser, etc.)

In addition, associating a product with the customer's “wants” and thensearching often turns out to be a difficult task, which often results inno available coupon/discount for the product associated at all. Sporadicpull-based pricing may be available in some retail stores where separateprice check counters or stations are installed, but the users need towalk to the counter or station to scan the product and get the price.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, a smart price tag, a computer program productand computer-implemented methods for determining a sale price of an itemvia a smart price tag associated with the item are disclosed. Themethods comprise detecting the smart price tag is being shaken, and inresponse to detecting the smart price tag as being shaken, sending arequest for a current sale price of the item to a back end price server.The current sale price of the item is received from the back end priceserver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer toidentical or functionally similar elements throughout the separateviews, and which together with the detailed description below areincorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to furtherillustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles andadvantages all in accordance with the present disclosure, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one example of an operatingenvironment comprising a pricing system according to one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one example of a smart price tag used inaccordance with one example of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an operational flow diagram illustrating one process ofreceiving a price of an item for sale using the pricing system of FIG. 1according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of one example of a back end price serveraccording to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and associatedmethods to obtain real-time prices of products in physical stores, inresponse to a price quotation pull request of a given product expressedby a customer using a smart price tag attached to the product, where thesystem knows which product the smart price tag is associated with. Thesmart price tag may use motion detection (such as, shake detection) sothat the customer makes a pull request by performing certain gesturesdirectly on the smart price tag or the product (such as shaking thesmart price tag itself or shaking the product such that the smart pricetag also shakes).

Operating Environment

FIG. 1 shows one example of an operating environment of a price checkingsystem 100 for providing real-time price quotes and discount offers fora specific item for sale according to one embodiment. The operatingenvironment 100 comprises a back end price server 102, a plurality ofsmart price tags 104 (one shown) and, optionally, an external database108 and/or external processes 110 for dynamic price generation. Eachsmart price tag 104 is a small electronic device attached to a productfor sale 106 by a mechanism such as a physical hook, a security pin, asticky surface, a locking tag, etc. The attachment mechanism may beoperably coupled with a tamper sensor to verify that the smart price tag104 may only be attached to the specific associated item for sale 106and detect if the smart price tag 104 is removed or tampered with. Ifsuch tampering or removal is detected, the smart price tag 104 maydeactivate itself and/or send a notification to the back end priceserver 102 for reporting purposes.

A detailed block diagram of an example smart price tag is shown in FIG.2 in accordance with one example of the present invention. The smartprice tag 104 includes a processor 202 operably coupled to a memory 204,one or more sensors 206 (such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, etc.), acommunication interface 208, a display 210, a timer 212, two buttons (aprice lock button 214 and a price unlock button 216) and an optionaltransducer 232 (such as a speaker, vibrator, siren, buzzer, etc.).

The communication interface 208 allows the smart price tag 104 tocommunicate with the back end price server 102 using short rangecommunication protocols (such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.).

The display 210 may be a simple low-power light emitting diode (LED)display, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or other type of display.

The memory 204 stores various elements for performing the functions ofthe methods discussed herein (such as a motion type and vigor detector218, an emotion expression detector 220, a price lock auto releaser 222,an over-the-air programming interface 224, a back end dynamic pricelistener 226 and a back end dynamic price requestor 228) as well asaccompanying data 230. The over-the air programming interface 224 allowsthe smart price tag 104 to be logically associated with a specific itemfor sale 106.

When a shopper 112 wishes to request a price check for a particularitem, the shopper 112 simply shakes the product for sale which has asmart price tag 104 attached, or shakes the smart price tag 104 itself.The smart price tag's 204 motion sensor 206 detects the shaking motionand characterizes the motion using the motion type and vigor detector218. If the shaking motion matches certain predeterminedcharacteristics, which are described in more detail below, the back enddynamic price requestor 228 sends a dynamic price request 112 to adynamic price request listener 122 of the back end price server 102 viathe communication interface 208. A dynamic price generator 120, whichmay be in communication with the external database 108 and variousexternal processes 110 for dynamic price generation, generates a pricefor the product for sale 106 corresponding to the requesting smart pricetag 104 which is only valid for a predetermined period of time unless“locked in” at the smart price tag 104 by pressing the price lock button214. The dynamic price response dispatcher 118 sends a dynamic priceresponse 114, including the generated price, back to the smart price tag104. The smart price tag 104 receives the dynamic price response 114 atthe back end dynamic price listener 226 via the communication interface208.

The smart price tag 104 displays the current price on the display 210for a predetermined period of time (e.g., one minute). The customer mayalso have the option to lock in the price by pressing the price lockbutton 214 which sets the price of the item until checkout, expirationof a second predetermined time (e.g., one hour), or until the priceunlock button 216 is pressed. After the price lock auto releaser 222determines that the offered price is no longer valid, a new price may berequested by shaking the object again.

FIG. 3 is an operational flowchart 300 describing a method of requestinga current price of an item for sale 106 attached to and associated witha smart price tag 104 according to one embodiment of the presentinvention. Beginning in step 302, the sensor 206, operating inconjunction with the motion type and vigor detector 218 detects ashaking motion (i.e. detects that the smart price tag 104 is beingshaken). It should be noted that the intensity of the shaking motionshould be above a first predetermined threshold level in order toindicate actual shaking. However, if the motion intensity is greaterthan a second predetermined level, in step 304, there is a greaterlikelihood that the smart price tag 104 could be damaged by the vigor ofthe shaking. Thus, the smart price tag 104 may voice its “objection” tothe degree of shaking by emitting, in step 306, a negative emotion (suchas by sounding a warning through the transducer 232, displaying awarning message on the display 210, vibrating, etc.). It should be notedthat the second predetermined intensity threshold is greater than thefirst predetermined threshold.

In step 308, the smart price tag 104 sends a dynamic price request 112to the back end price server 102. The back end price server 102determines a current price for the attached item of sale based on anumber of factors. For example, the item of sale may be associated witha default or nominal base price, but may be adjusted up or downaccording to a number of factors. The price may be adjusted based on thecurrent supply and demand of the item for sale 106 based on a givencalendar day, during a given time of year or season, for a particulartime of day, given crowd levels in the store, given online competition,given manufacturing/wholesale purchasing and warehousing costs, givenother expenses, etc. For example, the price may be increased as thecurrent in-store supply is diminished if the item is awaiting anexpected incoming shipment; however, the price could also be decreasedas the current in-store supply levels decrease if the item is marked forclearance. Various external methodologies may be used to find the bestpricing of the product to jointly optimize store profitability andcustomer affordability.

The smart price tag 104 receives, in step 310, the current price for theattached item for sale 106 and displays, in step 312, the current priceon the display 210 for a first predetermined period of time (e.g., oneminute, 5 minutes, etc.). The current price is valid for the item forsale for a second predetermined period of time (e.g., one hour, thirtyminutes, fifteen minutes, etc.) or for a longer duration if the userlocks in the price. Thus, if the time lapsed since the smart price tag104 has received the current dynamic price is less than the secondpredetermined period of time, in step 314, the smart price tag 316maintains the current price. If the smart price tag 104 detects, in step316, a lock request (e.g., user presses the price lock button 214 withinthe second predetermined time), the price of the item is locked (i.e.“set”), in step 318, at the current price level until the customerchecks out, the smart price tag 104 detects the price unlock 216 buttonhas been pressed, or a third predetermined period of time has passed(e.g., six hours, 24 hours) in which it can reasonably be assumed thatthe customer no longer desires to purchase the item. If the price lockbutton 214 is not pressed within the second predetermined period oftime, in step 314, the current price is cleared, in step 320, and a newprice will be generated when a customer shakes the item/smart price tagagain.

In an alternative embodiment, the current sale price of the item mayalso (or alternatively) be communicated to an operably coupled display,separate from the smart tag, e.g., a display on the user's mobiledevice, or a smart price tag display sign (not shown). In someembodiments, the smart price tag display sign is located near the itemfor sale, and is such that the display may be shared among multiplesmart price tags. The smart price tag display sign is in communicationwith the back end price server 102 and displays the current price of theitem in response to the customer shaking the smart price tag 104. Theprice is displayed for a predetermined period of time so that thecustomer can read the display sign, then the current price of the itemdisappears from the display in the interest of making way for otheritems to be shaken and prices displayed on the shared display sign.Optionally, the smart price tag display sign may include the price lockbutton 214 and the price unlock button 216 so that the customer may lockthe price of the item at the smart price tag display sign.

By implementing the smart price tag system 100, a retail store is ableto collect, aggregate and analyze real-time user-interest data to moreintelligently set prices. The collected data may be used to generatereports and feedback to detail how many customers were interested in theproduct and optimize a specific price point for which customers arewilling to purchase specific items.

Sample Use Scenario

In a sample usage scenario, Vijay likes a certain water bottle andshakes the bottle. The smart-price-tag, secured to the bottle,experiences the shaking and issues a query to the back end price serverrequesting the price of the bottle. The price shown on the smart pricetag display is $1. Vijay presses the “lock” button to lock the price andpicks the bottle up.

However, later in the same shopping session, he sees a water bottle madeof fiber glass and chooses to replace the one he locked. He similarlytries to find the price of the fiber glass bottle by shaking, anddiscovers that bottle is $2. He locks the price of the fiber glassbottle and picks that bottle up. He also unlocks the price of the otherbottle and returns that bottle to the shelf.

Vijay later decides that he will be benefitted at home (easier homelogistics) by picking up both the bottles, and just one fiber glassbottle will be fine—the other bottle being an ordinary one will beacceptable. He goes back to the first bottle and again tries to find theprice; however, he finds the new price of the original bottle to be$1.50 (i.e. the backend server has chosen to increase the price as quitea few other similar bottles have been sold within this time and thestore currently has more customers).

Back End Price Server

Referring now to FIG. 4, this figure is a block diagram illustrating aninformation processing system that can be utilized in embodiments of thepresent invention. The information processing system 402 is based upon asuitably configured processing system configured to implement one ormore embodiments of the present invention (e.g., price checking system100). Any suitably configured processing system can be used as theinformation processing system 402 in embodiments of the presentinvention. The components of the information processing system 402 caninclude, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processingunits 404, a system memory 406, and a bus 408 that couples varioussystem components including the system memory 406 to the processor 404.

The bus 408 represents one or more of any of several types of busstructures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheralbus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus usingany of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and notlimitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture(ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA)bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, andPeripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus.

Although not shown in FIG. 4, the main memory 406 may include dynamicprice request listener 118, dynamic price generator 120 and dynamicprice response generator 122 shown in FIG. 1. One or more of thesecomponents can reside within the processor 404, or be a separatehardware component. The system memory 406 can also include computersystem readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as randomaccess memory (RAM) 410 and/or cache memory 412. The informationprocessing system 402 can further include other removable/non-removable,volatile/non-volatile computer system storage media. By way of exampleonly, a storage system 414 can be provided for reading from and writingto a non-removable or removable, non-volatile media such as one or moresolid state disks and/or magnetic media (typically called a “harddrive”). A magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to aremovable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and anoptical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable,non-volatile optical disk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other opticalmedia can be provided. In such instances, each can be connected to thebus 408 by one or more data media interfaces. The memory 406 can includeat least one program product having a set of program modules that areconfigured to carry out the functions of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Program/utility 416, having a set of program modules 418, may be storedin memory 606 by way of example, and not limitation, as well as anoperating system, one or more application programs, other programmodules, and program data. Each of the operating system, one or moreapplication programs, other program modules, and program data or somecombination thereof, may include an implementation of a networkingenvironment. Program modules 418 generally carry out the functionsand/or methodologies of embodiments of the present invention.

The information processing system 402 can also communicate with one ormore external devices 420 (such as a keyboard, a pointing device, adisplay 422, etc.); one or more devices that enable a user to interactwith the information processing system 402; and/or any devices (e.g.,network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system/server 402 tocommunicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communicationcan occur via I/O interfaces 424. Still yet, the information processingsystem 402 can communicate with one or more networks such as a localarea network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a publicnetwork (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter 426. As depicted, thenetwork adapter 426 communicates with the other components ofinformation processing system 402 via the bus 408. Other hardware and/orsoftware components can also be used in conjunction with the informationprocessing system 402. Examples include, but are not limited to:microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external diskdrive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storagesystems.

Non-Limiting Embodiments

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentinvention may be embodied as a system, method, or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the formof an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit”,” “module”, or “system.”

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product at any possible technical detail level of integration.The computer program product may include a computer readable storagemedium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereonfor causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device. Computer readable programinstructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may beassembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions,machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode,firmware instructions, state-setting data, configuration data forintegrated circuitry, or either source code or object code written inany combination of one or more programming languages, including anobject oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++, or thelike, and procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programminglanguage or similar programming languages. The computer readable programinstructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on theuser's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user'scomputer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remotecomputer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may beconnected to the user's computer through any type of network, includinga local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or theconnection may be made to an external computer (for example, through theInternet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments,electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logiccircuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logicarrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions byutilizing state information of the computer readable programinstructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order toperform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions. These computer readable programinstructions may be provided to a processor of a general purposecomputer, special purpose computer, or other programmable dataprocessing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions,which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmabledata processing apparatus, create means for implementing thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be storedin a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, aprogrammable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to functionin a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage mediumhaving instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufactureincluding instructions which implement aspects of the function/actspecified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. Thecomputer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The description of the present invention has been presented for purposesof illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method for determining asale price of an item via a smart price tag associated with the item,the computer-implemented method comprising: detecting the smart pricetag as being shaken; sending a request for a current sale price of theitem, in response to said detecting the smart price tag as being shaken;and receiving the current sale price of the item for display, inresponse to said sending a request for a current sale price of the item.2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the current saleprice for a predetermined period of time.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein the current sale price is displayed on at least one of the groupconsisting of: a display on the smart price tag and a separate displaysign.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the smart price tag isphysically attached to the item, wherein an attachment is selected fromthe group consisting of a hook, a security pin, an adhesive, and alocking tag.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determiningthat the smart price tag has been tampered with, in response to saiddetecting the smart price tag as being shaken; and deactivating thesmart price tag, in response to said determining that the smart pricetag has been tampered with.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprisingclearing the current sale price upon expiration of a predeterminedperiod of time.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receivinga lock request associated with a press of a price lock button; andlocking the sale price of the item at the current sale price for apredetermined period of time.
 8. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising: receiving an unlock request prior to expiration of thepredetermined period of time; and unlocking the sale price of the item.9. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining that thepredetermined period of time has expired; and unlocking the sale priceof the item, in response to said determining that predetermined periodof time has expired.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the current saleprice of the item is determined based on at least one of the groupconsisting of current supply of the item, current demand of the item, agiven calendar day, a given time of year, a given season, a particulartime of day, given crowd levels in a retail store, given onlinecompetition, given purchasing and warehousing costs, and given otherexpenses.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining amotion intensity of being shaken is greater than a predeterminedthreshold; and communicating an indication that the shaking isobjectionable.
 12. A smart price tag logically associated with an itemfor sale, the smart price tag comprising: a memory storing computerinstructions; a sensor that detects the smart price tag is being shaken;a communication interface; and a processor, operably coupled with thememory, the sensor and the communication interface, the processoradapted to execute the computer instructions, comprising: detecting thesmart price tag as being shaken: sending a request, via thecommunication interface, for a current sale price of the item, inresponse to said detecting the smart price tag as being shaken; andreceiving the current price of the item for sale, in response to saidsending a request for a current sale price of the item.
 13. The smartprice tag of claim 12, wherein the computer instructions furthercomprise instructions for displaying, the current price, in response tosaid receiving the current price of the item.
 14. The smart price tag ofclaim 13, wherein the processor further clears the current sale priceupon expiration of a predetermined period of time.
 15. The smart pricetag of claim 12, wherein the communication interface communicates usinga protocol selected from the group consisting of a Wi-Fi protocol and aBluetooth protocol.
 16. The smart price tag of claim 12, furthercomprising a tamper sensor operably coupled with the processor such thatthe tamper sensor determines whether the smart price tag has beentampered with and responsive to determining that the smart price tag hasbeen tampered with, the processor deactivates the smart price tag. 17.The smart price tag of claim 12, further comprising: a price lockbutton, wherein upon detection of the price lock button being pressed,the processor locks a sale price for the item at the current price for apredetermined period of time.
 18. The smart price tag of claim 17,further comprising: a price unlock button, wherein upon detection of theprice unlock button being pressed, the processor unlocks the sale priceof the item.
 19. The smart price tag of claim 17, wherein the processorfurther unlocks the sale price upon expiration of the predeterminedperiod of time.
 20. A computer program product for determining a dynamicprice of an item for sale via an attached smart price tag, the computerprogram product comprising: a computer readable storage medium storinginstructions for execution by a computer for performing a methodcomprising: detecting the smart price tag as being shaken, the smartprice tag logically associated with the item; sending a request from thesmart tag for a current sale price of the item, wherein the request isassociated with shaking the smart price tag; and receiving the currentsale price of the item for display, in response to said communicating arequest for a current sale price of the item.